Comprehension

Explore strategies, insights, and research on building reading comprehension skills, bridging knowledge gaps, and empowering students to understand and engage with complex texts.

Rethinking Round Robin and Popcorn Reading

Round robin and popcorn reading remain common practices in many classrooms, yet a substantial body of research shows these approaches are not effective in promoting student reading development. It is critical for educators to understand the limitations of these methods and explore research-backed alternatives that foster meaningful engagement and skill growth for all learners. What Are Round Robin and Popcorn …

Why Read Alouds Matter!

Reading aloud to students—no matter their age—is one of the most researched and effective ways to support literacy. Decades of evidence show regular, interactive read alouds foster vocabulary growth, comprehension, print awareness, motivation, and even social-emotional learning (Swanson et al., 2011; DeJulio et al., 2022; Lane & Wright, 2007). Benefits Backed by Research How to Get the Most From Read …

Understanding and Preventing Reading Difficulties

As teachers, we’ve all had students who work hard but still struggle to make sense of print. It can be frustrating to know they’re putting in the effort yet not making the progress we hope for. David Kilpatrick’s Essentials of Assessing, Preventing, and Overcoming Reading Difficulties speaks directly to this challenge. Why It Matters for the Classroom Kilpatrick bridges decades …

Bridging the Knowledge Gap

“Without knowledge, even the strongest reading skills can’t help students understand what they read.” Natalie Wexler Closing The Knowledge Gap: A Call for Knowledge-Rich Instruction Natalie Wexler’s The Knowledge Gap offers a compelling examination of one of the most pressing challenges in education today: the persistent gap in reading comprehension and achievement among students. Wexler highlights a central truth that …